The invention relates to the process or method of manufacturing a custom shaped thermoplastic mold for the saddle area of an equine and the like, and to the mold or form shaped from the process.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a process for custom manufacturing a contoured thermoplastic sheet that has been formed or contoured to a customized, particular shape of a saddle portion of a particular equine or horse, so that the form may be used and reused to produce items such as a customized saddle, or to select an existing saddle to the precise shape of that particular horse for the area of the equine or horse where the saddle rests upon the equine.
It is further object of the invention to provide a novel process or method or steps of shaping a thermoplastic saddle tree and saddle mold panel customized to the shape of a particular equine, horse or animal in the area where a saddle tree would rest upon the equine, horse or animal so that the sheet when molded may serve as a model to form a saddle tree and saddle for that equine, horse or animal.
It is another object of the invention to provide novel method of rapidly and accurately forming a panel to the particular shape of a portion of an animal, so that the panel may be used, once formed or contoured, to in turn form a mold for use in making or selecting an item of animal apparel for attachment to fit a portion of the animal in the particular shape of that portion of the animal.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel process or steps of forming a customized saddle tree or frame mold by warming a thermoplastic sheet of a size equal that of a saddle tree to a pliable condition, then applying the sheet or panel to the saddle tree area of a equine or horse while pliable and applying pressure against the outside of the panel to force the panel against the equine or horse to change the shape of the panel to closely conform to the shape of the animal in the saddle tree area, and then allow the panel to harden in that shape, so that it may be used as a form or mold to in turn to shape a saddle tree for that animal which saddle tree being shaped to the form of the shaped panel will in turn closely conform to the shape of that equine or horse in the saddle area for greater comfort to the equine.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: